Law Technology Today From the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center
Related Articles
In recent years, the demand for Live Call leads has exploded. The question we hear the most at 4LegalLeads.com is, “How can I get MORE of them?”
We want to help you understand why they’re so popular while also making sure you know what it takes to succeed in using them to grow your practice. Just like any technology or marketing tactic, Live Calls bring the best results within the right strategic framework.
What are the Benefits of Live Call Legal Leads?
Live Calls work in a similar way to traditional, online leads, or Web Leads. Potential clients from a targeted, geographic region take an action online to connect with an attorney. Then, they call in to reach a lawyer and are routed through a sophisticated system where live reps transfer the call to your firm. They come with powerful benefits which make it easier to convert leads into clients and foster growth for your firm.
- Instant Connection – In contrast to Web Leads, which require the lead to fill out a form and wait for a response, the Live Call connection is instantaneous. The speed of a law firm’s response to a lead is critical for success, and the Live Call delivery system solves the problem completely.
- Personal Connection – Legal leads are in a high moment of need when they reach out to an attorney. Making a live, personal connection goes a long way in earning their trust before the conversation even begins.
- Prebuilt Infrastructure – There’s no need to reinvent the wheel, go through a complicated implementation, or hire staff to support this initiative. You simply pay per call.
- Easy to Scale: Because you are partnered with a company that has existing infrastructure, you start as carefully as you want and then scale your campaigns aggressively when the time is right.
- Easy Expansion into New Geographic Markets – All you do is say you want to add a new zip code, county, or state, and the systems are already in place for you to reach a new region.
- Easy Expansion into New Areas of Law – Again, by partnering with a lead provider who already has everything in place, you simply choose to expand into new categories of law and expand your practice.
With all of this in mind, it’s easy to see why Live Calls have become so popular.
What are the Challenges with Live Call Legal Leads?
In the broad picture, Live Calls are still a fairly new technology, and in recent years the things law firms need to look out for have come into focus.
For example, when consumers call through direct on their own, they sometimes miscategorize their legal problem and reach the wrong attorney. Even in the best-written phone tree, people get confused about what kind of help they need.
Reputable lead companies may or may not have fair return policies in place for this kind of thing, but of course we’d all rather save the time for you, us, and the client. It’s best to try and find a provider who doesn’t forward raw, unscreened calls to your team.
For example, at 4LegalLeads, all calls are now routed through our call center. There, our team confirms the right area of practice and asks various follow-up criteria for that legal category. This assures you get calls that are relevant and most likely to become potential clients, protecting both your time and ROI.
Another challenging issue is that lead providers often charge for Live Calls on a “duration,” or timed, basis. This means there’s a countdown in place once your conversation begins which determines whether or not you’ll be charged for the call. The duration basis places an artificial pressure on the conversation. The attorney feels the need to rush to find out if the lead is a right fit, and of course the lead feels the pressure in turn. It sets everything off on the wrong foot and compromises the attorney’s ability to serve their potential client properly.
We handle all of this during our call center routing, so by the time you receive the phone call, duration is no longer being monitored, and you can focus on the prospective client and the legal services you offer.
Best Practices for Live Call Legal Leads
There are a few strategies which are essential to follow with Live Calls.
- Using Web Leads and Live Calls Together – Many law firms are tempted to switch over completely to Live Calls, but it’s a strategic error. The truth is, not everyone wants to talk to your team on the phone. Many people, more every day, feel safer starting their conversation with you through an online form. Web leads also capture leads when no one on your team is available to pick up the call. They’re a vital source of leads, and together, Web Leads and Live Calls make a powerful combination. Accepting both assures your firm is in place ahead of your competitors at all times of the day and in the moment a prospective client is in need.
- A Plan for How to Answer Your Calls – Your team needs a script. They need a shared understanding of the tone with which they should greet leads, questions to ask for quickly qualifying a lead, and a general guide for ensuring a great customer experience. Too many law firms “wing it” with calls when a well-planned response could generate much more revenue.
- A Lead Intake System/CRM – Law firms lose far too much value by failing to provide an organized, thoughtful journey for their leads. They lose even more by simply forgetting to follow up with a lead or, even worse, making leads wait so long for a response they lose trust or move on to other options. A good legal CRM automates this work and keeps your team organized so no opportunity falls through the cracks. 4LegalLeads can integrate with nearly any CRM.
Properly Deployed, Live Calls are a True Game Changer for Converting Leads into Clients
We’re happy to answer your questions about Live Calls through our Support Team (support@4legalleads.com) or through our website at 4LegalLeads.com. We’ve been helping attorneys optimize their lead solutions for more than 20 years!
To get started, simply create your account at 4LegalLeads.com. There are no contracts, setup fees, or minimums. It just takes a minute, and our support team will help you complete your setup so you can start finding new clients as soon as possible.
